Between the Lines
by dont4get2remember
Summary: After a night of alcohol-induced actions, Kevin backtracks to figure out how Edd became a part of his life. It all began with the AP class his mother pushed him into... Rated for language and later chapters.
1. Hungover

Nothing is distracting enough. Not the dull throbbing of his head; not the viewed motions of stirring lemon and honey into tea; not the sound of the watch on his wrist, tick-tocking in his ear, because the hand attached has dug its nails into his hair- both contributing to his headache.

But none of that is important. What is important to Kevin at this moment is that his phone is completely silent. The cell phone sitting on the table is stagnant, not lit up by a new text.

And man, is that adding to the twist in Kevin's stomach.

His nails dig further into his hair, grasping scalp now. He furrows his eyebrows. _Maybe I should have just turned around and talked to him…_A chirpy "This should help, Kev!" from Nazz startles Kevin out of his thoughts. Her volume made him wince, and as she sets a cup of ginger tea in front of him, she gives him an apologetic look. "Sorry," she says in a softer voice. "You alright?"

"Yeah," he mumbles. Despite the heat he can feel coming off of the teacup, the dryness of his throat and the twist in his stomach push Kevin to try drinking the hangover cure anyways. The results are slightly burnt tongue and lips, the removal of his hand from his hair, and a raised eyebrow from Nazz. "That was stupid," she says in the same soft voice. "No kidding…"

Kevin glances at his phone again. Still nothing. _He's probably busy…_he thinks. _But,_ the twist in his stomach whispers to him, _does that really make you feel better?_ Kevin grimaces at the thought. No, it doesn't, but he is hungover and confused and tense and has burnt lips and that damn Double Dork has not answered his very simple text- and while some of these problems are direct effects of his own stupidity, Kevin dislikes them all.

"Kev?" Again, Nazz's voice wakes Kevin. He glances at her. She wears a sympathetic look. Unlike him, Nazz had had the good sense stay within her limits last night, and while she had not enjoyed the same impulse-driven night as Kevin had, she did not have the stress of dealing with that night in the morning. Also unlike him, Nazz was probably on good terms with Edd at the moment. _Maybe I should ask her to talk to hi- no, that's stupid_, Kevin thinks. _Last night was…rough, but I'm a man, and goddamn it, I deal with my problems…kinda._

Kevin is at Nazz's mostly because he wouldn't deal with his problems. "Yeah?" he replies, ignoring the realization. His ego really does not need another blow this morning. "I…was wondering…if you remember last night." Kevin's hand finds its way back to his head, his nails back in his scalp. "Yep." Nazz blinks. "Oh." Speaking of blows to the ego.

An awkward silence falls over them. Kevin sips his still-hot tea, careful not to burn himself again. The memories of last night are blurred, and Kevin had initially woken believing the entire thing a dream- but the realization he was in Edd's house, the hit of dry throat, migraine, and nausea, and Edd's treatment of him shook that belief from him.

Edd's expression to Kevin approaching him is stuck in his mind, and the memory tightens the twist.

After a few minutes, Nazz breaks the silence: "How do you feel?"

Kevin raises an eyebrow at her, teacup half-raised. "What?"

Nazz repeats the question.

Kevin opens his mouth to answer, but no words come out. It's not from a lack of an answer- Kevin feels a lot right now- but-

"Greetings, Kevin! I hope the shame and headache of last night have left you!" Rolf's accented voice sails into Nazz's kitchen, followed by the man himself. Kevin grips his head tighter and quickly takes a gulp of his tea. _Good fucking God!_ If his head weren't still killing him, he would be killing Rolf.

"Noooot quite, Rolf," Nazz says with half a grin. She, of course, had known Rolf was coming over, so she'd left the door unlocked for him. She probably should have warned Kevin, though, or warned Rolf of the intensity of Kevin's hangover. Rolf looks at Kevin and smiles awkwardly. "Oops. Sorry, Kevin. But you take care of shame, yes? You could not have left the Ed-boy's house without apologizing, right?"

At this point, Kevin's hand is not enough. He releases his head and lets it slide down his arm. A bright red blush has settled on his cheeks. "Shame. Not. Taken. Care. Of. Apology. Made," he reports through clenched teeth.

_God fucking damn, guys, I really don't wanna talk about this! I don't even know how it happened!_

At the thought Kevin lifts his face from the table. How did it happen? _It wasn't just the booze,_ Kevin is sure. _If I really wanna go back, I guess it started when we were kids…but that's not right either…_

_No, this started right before school started this year…_

* * *

Whoo! One down! The next...however many chapters will be flashbacks from this point, explaining how this point- of a hungover and anxious Kevin- was reached.

Next chapter will be out soon! I'll try to write more than one at once, so the story gets updated more quickly.


	2. Surprise at Summer's End

I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryit'ssolate. My fault, my bad, sorry!

This chapter starts the flashbacks. I've yet to decide how many times I want to flash to the present, but when I do, I'll try to make it clear- and if it's not obvious, watch the verb tenses.

Anyways, sincerely sorry for the wait, please enjoy!

* * *

"AP?" Kevin raised an eyebrow. His mom nodded, smiling pleasantly. His dad sat at the head of the table, his newspaper in one hand and coffee in the other. The raised newspaper suggested his lack of involvement in the conversation, but the way his eyes looked over it, darting between his wife and son, revealed what he was really focused on.

School would start in less than a week. He had spent the bulk of the summer in California with his aunt, and he had gotten home one night earlier.

_Mom HAS to be kidding_, Kevin thought. "Why would I want to do AP _anything_?" he said, gesturing toward his mother with his fork before putting it in his mouth. The chocolate-chip pancakes should have been enough of a hint. _Mom only makes these for special occasions…or when she needs Dad or me in a good mood,_ Kevin recalled with slight bitterness.

"Just one class, Kevin," his mom replied. She laced her fingers together over her empty plate. "And you get to choose which."

Kevin continued chewing but made a face at his mom. Was that supposed to make him feel better?

His mom ignored her son's expression. "You've done well enough in normal classes, and it'll be good for you. It'll make you think," his mom commented. "Besides, sports aren't the only things that look good on college applications."

"Mom," Kevin began immediately after swallowing, "I don't want to take an AP class. There is no class I like enough to take AP. It'd be like, Advanced Boredom instead. And they take like, I dunno, three times as much work as normal classes." He was trying hard not to whine, but he couldn't help it. "Besides, enrollment was before school ended."

Kevin's mom gave him a sly smile. "I talked with your counselors. If you go before school begins, they can transfer you into a class." She slipped her fingers away from each other and picked up her orange juice. "I'm sure the work isn't as terrible as you think, and even if it is, it wouldn't hurt you to put that much effort into one class."

Kevin looked to his dad desperately. The older man averted his gaze. "Dad…"

"This is between you and your mother, son," he grumbled, looking at his wife. Kevin pouted. _Mom totally talked with him while I was gone._

"But they assign summer homework! School starts in like, five days!"

"Then I suggest you go to the counselors today," Kevin's mother replied. She drank from her juice, set the glass down, then rose from her chair. "Pick something you'll be able to do for a year, sweetie." With a quick loving smile, she left the room.

Kevin slumped in his chair. _You've got to be kidding! _he thought. He stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth before glaring at his dad; Kevin's dad caught the look from over his newspaper and blushed slightly. They sat in this silence for a few minutes: Kevin eating his chocolate-chip pancakes with as much rage as he could muster, glaring at his dad while chewing, and his dad hiding behind a newspaper, drinking his coffee. Kevin had assumed his dad would back him- because he usually did. Yes, both his parents insisted he maintain decent grades, but his dad was always more lenient about it than his mom. _You'd think he'd have said something just for…I dunno, the sake of sports or something! How is this the one time sports aren't important enough to him?!_

"This is stupid," Kevin commented finally with a flat voice. His dad sighed, putting down the newspaper.

"Your mother doesn't ask for a lot, Kevin," he said.

"I know, but AP? Seriously?" Kevin gestured widely with both hands, as if giving the stupidity of the idea a physical size.

Kevin's dad ran a hand through his hair. "She just wants what's best for you. She doesn't want you to just rely on sports for college." "I get that- and that's sweet of her- and I know that too, but my grades are good! This AP class is going to kick my a- butt."

"Don't think of it that way. One class, Kev. Take it like a man, get it done, make Mom happy." "There's got to be some other way to make Mom happy." "Kevin." Kevin's dad looked him dead in the eye. "I know you don't want to do this, and I know you're smart without taking this class, but it would mean a lot to your mother. She lets you- and me, actually- get away with a lot, between the bike and the baseball and the football. Just do this one thing for her."

Kevin dropped his dad's gaze and shifted the remainders of pancake in his plate. "For your mother, ok?" his dad said. His voice came out low, serious, and with genuine care.

Kevin inhaled deeply. He ate his last bite of pancakes, following it with a sip of the orange juice his mother had left unfinished. "Fine."

Rolf grinned at Kevin before noticing the sour expression on his friend's face. "Why so glum, Kevin? You go to the land of gold and surfers for two months and come back with darkened skin and sad to see a son of a shepherd?"

Kevin chuckled slightly. "Hey, Rolf. Nah, it's not you at all." Kevin gestured for Rolf to come out, scooting to the side. Rolf stepped out on to the porch, closing the door behind him. "My mom is making me take an AP class."

Rolf blinked. "Why is Mama Barr making you take AP? Is Papa Barr ill?"

"Man, she talked him into it while I was out of town! He told me to take it like a man, make my mom happy, and blah…" Kevin grumbled. _I feel like a kid again, whining like this_, he thought. He settled on the top step of his porch; Rolf joined him. The porch was small, but it was large enough for him and Rolf to sit comfortably. "I have to go to the school today and pick a class so I can get the homework…"

"Mm, bad luck," Rolf frowned. He patted his friend on the shoulder. "But as Great Nano used to say, a mama is like a goat: she gives you milk and is soft, but then she eats everything you love, never le-."

Kevin stared. Despite how long as he had known Rolf, he still would not understand his sayings and traditions. _It's the eternal culture gap…_ Kevin mused. "Ok, ok, but what is the POINT?" Kevin interrupted. He just wasn't in the mood to listen to the foreign tale. Not today.

"Since Mama Barr's word is now law, what class will you do?"

"I dunno…" Kevin said, looking to the concrete for an answer. "I don't want a science- I can barely pass normal science- and AP Calc might actually kill me…"

Rolf stroked his stubble thoughtfully. "Sorry, Kevin. I do not bother with this AP mumbo jumbo, so I do not know the options."

Kevin rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess we should go ahead and head to the school…I've got the walk to think about it. You wanna come?" Kevin jabbed his thumb in the direction of the school.

Rolf shrugged. "Let me see if Mama and Papa need me for anything," he said before leaving Kevin on the porch. Kevin sighed, rubbed the back of his neck. He stood.

He had grown up well. Now sixteen, he was broad-shouldered and taller than average. He had left his red hair to grow during the summer, and it now nipped at the base of his neck. Three untamable strands stuck out from his signature red cap. Although normally left scruffy, his strong jaw was smooth today, as he had shaved in light of eating with his parents for the first time in months. He had small black studs in both ears- a choice he'd made while in California for no particular reason- and his toned and tanned arms led to his jeans' pockets, where he'd buried his hands.

He moseyed down the path a bit. Despite the conversation with his father, he was upset. _Why didn't Mom think of this BEFORE enrollment? It would've been nice to talk about it, get some damn notice.._. His gaze slid down to the pavement; he noticed a stone wedged between the pavement and Rolf's front yard. He picked it up and blankly tossed it between his hands. _I don't even have time to argue about it or get used to the idea or think about it!_ Kevin fumed. He gripped the stone this time instead of maintaining the motion. "Like, way to spring it on me…!" Kevin said irritably. He thoughtlessly chucked the stone to his right, immediately turning on his heel as the stone sailed over a fence…

"OW!" Kevin's head spun. He approached the fence which the stone had flown over, looking over slowly. In the grass, Edd sat, rubbing his head, magnifying glass in hand and an odd, light blue flower beside him.

"Whoops…" Kevin mumbled. Edd looked up. "Sorry, Double D."

"Kevin!" Double D grinned. "You're back." Double D rose to his feet. "Was that you who threw that…object?" He adjusted his hat, discomfort creeping into his expression. "I'm not entirely sure what it was…"

"It was just a rock I found," Kevin said, waving his hand to emphasize the irrelevance of the "object". "I didn't realize you might be over here. Sorry."

"Ah, I see. It's quite alright." Despite his good manners and reasonable temperament, Double D was the Ed Kevin had had the least interaction with. They just rarely came in contact with each other. Ed had joined the football team, and Kevin had- much to his displeasure- had six classes with Eddy last school year. Double D was not one for sports, and he had taken all AP classes…_Wait, that's it!_ Kevin realized.

"Hey, Double D!" Kevin began. Double D, who had started away from the fence, stopped. "You take AP classes, right?"

"Well, yes, Kevin," Double D said.

Bingo.

"They are quite interesting. Why do you ask?" "Ok," Kevin said, letting his arms dangle down from the fence, "if you had never taken anything AP, which class would you take?"

Double D blinked. His brow furrowed, and his lips pushed together tensely. "Um…If that were the case, I believe I would choose Biology-" "Not Bio." "Then most likely Chemis-" "Not a science, dork, not a science." Insulting someone he was asking a favor of was not a good idea- but old habits die hard.

Double D raised a brow. "Kevin, may I ask why you are asking?"

Kevin sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that day. "My parents are making me take an AP class. I need to go sign up for one today, but I don't know what they have." He spoke monotonously, but Double D's expression lit up. The blend of shock and delight reminded Kevin of when Rolf had expressed an interest in American football to Kevin's dad. "I see! But Kevin, you do know that Advanced Placement classes are equivalent to university level cou-" "Double Dork," Kevin interrupted him, "I can get this schpeel later. Options?"

"Ah, of course," Double D said bashfully. His excitement startled Kevin- who sincerely believed he would be embarking on the dullest journey of his high school career- but it fascinated him as well.

Double D nodded as he spoke: "If you do not want a science, there's AP Calculus, AP World History, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature…" _This is like Rolf asking Dad about football…_ Kevin thought. _He can just spout this shit off the top of his head! _"Wait, you already said English." "There are two. One, English Language and Composition, focuses on general style analysis and writing, whereas English Literature focuses on specific authors' bodies of work and-"

Kevin tuned out. English…He can do English. _Actually, English has been pretty boring lately,_ Kevin mused. _And my grades in it have always been good…_He stroked his face thoughtfully.

"Um, Kevin?" Double D spoke up. Kevin paused mid-stroke. Double D crossed his arms. "Are you still listening?" "Oh! Yeah, yeah, sorry…" Kevin apologized. "Ok…Greetings, Rolf!"

Kevin turned to his approaching friend. Rolf replied cheerfully, "Hello, Ed-boy! Have you heard the tragic nature of Kevin's errand to the school?" Double D nodded. "Yes, I have," he replied. "In fact, I was assisting Kevin in choosing a course." "Ah, thank you, helpful Ed-boy! Have you chosen, Kevin?" Kevin squinted. _What the hell? Bottom's up._

"Yeah. I'm gonna do English." Double D nodded politely. "Which English course sounded the most appealing?"

_That's a great question…_"…I think I'll just see which they'll put me in!" Kevin shrugged, ignoring the look on Double D's face. _Probably 'cause I don't have a real plan._ He nodded toward the path. "We should get going, Rolf. Double D," he said, turning, "thanks for the help, man."

Double D beamed. "Any time, Kevin! And if you need help during the school year, don't hesitate to ask!" Kevin waved in reply as he and Rolf left.

He was probably too proud to ask for help, but knowing Double D was willing to brightened his mood a bit.

* * *

I hope y'all enjoyed! I'm really flattered by the follows, views, and favorites! I thought I had an editor, but I've gotten no response in over a month now, so...I guess not, but I can function just fine without one. I'm experiencing slight technical difficulties, but they'll be sorted out soon, at which point, updates will be more regular. Next few chapters are already in the works- and I **_will _**have them up considerably faster than this...


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